Laura Ricketts Designs

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands..."

Laura Ricketts Designs is a personal and business website for Laura Ricketts, hand-knitwear designer, author, teacher, crafter, mother and wife.

The other bit of Defarge

Today I thought I'd blog about my other two projects in Defarge, deux.  ​"TWO projects?​" you say.  But, I thought you had only three knit designs in it?  

​My, you are smart!  Here's the deal: one of the items is loosely based on an earlier American author (who in turn based it on an even older time in Massachusetts history).  The other project is based on yesterday's project, and is offered free (for a limited time only!), if you sign up on the email list.  Here's the email list ( <--click there). After a 24-hour email blitz, the project will only be available for cost on Ravelry or through this site. A Knit-Along based on this knit design is currently being planned, and will probably be mid-April. A Knit-Along is a virtual knit circle, the members of which knit the same project together.

Here are the obligatory, beautiful up-close shots:​

​third project in W(e)WMDfK?designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​third project in W(e)WMDfK?

designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​third project in W(e)WMDfK?designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​third project in W(e)WMDfK?

designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​third project in W(e)WMDfK?designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​third project in W(e)WMDfK?

designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​email project from W(e)WMDfK? Available after book release on my sitedesigned and knit by Stashmuffin

​email project from W(e)WMDfK? Available after book release on my site

designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​email project from W(e)WMDfK? Available after book release on my sitedesigned and knit by Stashmuffin

​email project from W(e)WMDfK? Available after book release on my site

designed and knit by Stashmuffin

​email project from W(e)WMDfK? Available after book release on my sitedesigned and knit by Stashmuffin

​email project from W(e)WMDfK? Available after book release on my site

designed and knit by Stashmuffin

And Now For Something a Bit Defarge-ish

Here, at last, is my sneak peek of the What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit? book.  Madame Defarge is a character in Charles Dickens' book Tale of Two Cities who sits beneath the guillotine in France, knitting, knitting, knitting the names of those whom the guillotine killed. Is she a type of the Fates, playing with, and then cutting the yarn of life? Perhaps.  For me, she is an great example of using the art of knitting to tell another tale.​

The Madame Defarge book series, published by Cooperative Press, is a collection of knitting designs inspired by classical literature (beginning with this book).  I have three designs in the book to be released April 2013. More information about the book can be found here. ​Two are similar and are inspired by a certain author who lived in Concord, Massachusetts.  Here are a couple of inspiring shots.  How about this:

​A snippet of a picture from my first design inWhat (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​A snippet of a picture from my first design in

What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​And this?

​close-up of first design in&nbsp;What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​close-up of first design in 

What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​And, just a little bit of this...?

​close-up of first design in&nbsp;What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​close-up of first design in 

What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

Since they're related, I will conclude with a few pictures of the second design in the book.  Namely, this:​

​close-up of second design in&nbsp;What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​close-up of second design in 

What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​And, last but not least, this!

​close-up of second design in&nbsp;What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

​close-up of second design in 

What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?​

Isn't it pretty, even in super close-up form?  I can say of this, that they are serviceable , warm, and, in garter stitch, pretty easy.  ​

Can't wait until I can post a picture of the entire project! If you sign up on the email list, you will receive yet another pattern by me in the pre-release emails.​

Lovely time with Joy

Enjoyed the photoshoot with Joy today...​

​Joy wearing Rikke.Design by Sarah Young, knit by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Rikke.

Design by Sarah Young, knit by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Rikke.design by Sarah Young, knitting by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Rikke.

design by Sarah Young, knitting by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Wavy Gravy ScarfDesign by Stashmuffin, knit by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Wavy Gravy Scarf

Design by Stashmuffin, knit by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Wavy Gravy ScarfDesign by Stashmuffin, knit by Stashmuffin

​Joy wearing Wavy Gravy Scarf

Design by Stashmuffin, knit by Stashmuffin